Super stand-in has final in his sights

BILAL KHILJEE

Khiljee on a Tanner mission for Greenfield

CLASSY overseas player Bilal Khiljee will aid Greenfield’s bid to reach the 2010 Saddleworth and District Cricket League’s Tanner Cup final on Sunday.

The Pakistani all-rounder, who is enjoying a cracking season at Delph in the Drakes Huddersfield League, will come face to face with Uppermill at Leefields.

Khiljee is one of the most respected players in local league cricket with both bat and ball.

He has already helped Delph to the Romida Sykes Cup final, and could make all the difference to Greenfield’s prospects of overcoming slight favourites Uppermill in what is sure to be a keenly-contested last-four contest.

Khiljee will act as deputy pro — Kamran Hussain is injured — for the third time this season for the Ladhill Lane outfit.

He has scored two 50s and has taken two five-fors in his previous two games for Greenfield, against Saddleworth and Moorside.

With all-rounder Josh Higgins and left-arm seamer Dominic Gill back in contention, captain Jonathan Ainley has a full squad to choose from.

Greenfield have impressed in the competition this season, with wins over Heyside, who are second in the table, and improving Droylsden.

They amassed 314 for three against Droylsden in the quarter-finals, thanks to centuries from teenagers Alex Peters and Adam Hayes.

Uppermill are targeting a second successive cup-final appearance.

Alex Griffiths’ side, who have beaten Austerlands and Stayley in previous rounds, are one of the form teams with sevens league wins from their last eight games.

Victory for Uppermill could set up a repeat of last season’s final showdown.

Bamford Fieldhouse, the holders, play host to Hollinwood, who could include Abdur Rehman in their XI.

Rehman (30), who is a member of the Pakistani one-day touring team, replaced pro Aamir Bashir (food poisoning) in last week’s fixture against Greenfield, and scored 95 and took six for 13 with his left-arm spin.

Fixtures (1.45pm) —

Tomorrow: Friarmere v Stayley; Moorside v Glodwick; Shaw v Uppermill; Saddleworth v Austerlands; Bamford Fieldhouse v Hollinwood; Droylsden v Greenfield.

Sunday, Tanner Cup semi-finals: Bamford Fieldhouse v Hollinwood; Uppermill v Greenfield.

Moore Cup semi-finals: Shaw v Bamford Fieldhouse; Greenfield v Austerlands.